A Jamón Love Affair

We in the States prefer our meat as far, far away from its animal origins as possible. Not the Spaniards. Observe Exhibit A, jamon. In southern Spain, the enjoyment of jamon is a regional obsession, and no one seems to have any qualms about carving a nice, thin slice right off the poor piggy's leg. Every restaurant and bar has a ham leg on display, in various states of undress. Here, the proprietor had just prepared a new leg for consumption right before our eyes. Note the hanging ham legs have small triangular cups attached to the bottoms - this catches the seeping fat drips.

Once you've resolved any misconceptions about your meat's origins, you'll find the jamon is quite tasty. Spaniards find a multitude of uses for it, including sandwiches, tapas, or just straight up. By the end of the trip, Chris had developed an addiction for which he may have to seek treatment.